Lever actuated valve with notched latching means



Oct. 15, 1963 T. J. KlNcAlD LEVER ACTUAEED VALVE WITH NoTcEED LATCHING MEANS Filed may s1, 1961 THOMASJ. KINCAID ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,167,081 LEVER ACEUATED VALVE WTH IQISFED LATCHNS lviFJANS Thomas 5. Kincaid, Dayton, Ohio, assigner to Aeromarine Manufacturing Company, Delray Beach, lila.,

a corporation of Florida Filed May 3l, 196i, Ser. N li3,743 3 Claims. (Cl. 25E-$9) The present invention relates generally to valves and more particularly to valves utilized to release a pressurized fluid from a container.

`Containers for pressurized fluids are used extensively in emergency equipment. For example, they are used in dire extinguishers, `as a source of pressurized gas for the ination of life rafts, and as emergency supplies of air for breathing. Many devices presently in use require that an operator give substantial time and attention to the actuation of this emergency equipment. Often the operator is required to hold the valve manually in the open position or to perform a complex set of motions before lthe valve is opened and the pressurized fluid released. Consequently, the operators time and attention :are diverted horn other and more impor-tant steps which must be performed. For example, a pilot parachuting into a body of Water must clear himself of his parachute gear, maintain himself above the surface of the water, and inflate his life raft. Obviously, any time and attention which might be conserved in the inflation of the life raft can be devoted to the other requirements.

Accordingly, one 4object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve for the above purpose which is simple to actuate.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a valve which can `be moved to a permanently opened position by a simple manual operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a valve which will automatically lock itself in an open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve which has a minimum number of movable parts, which is simple to lactuate, and retains maximum reliability through long periods of lstorage or inaction.

Other objects and :advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings- FIG. l is a plan view of a valve in accordance with the present invention mounted on a pressurized iluid container;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the valve of FlG. l showing the valve in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the valve in the closed position; and

FIG. 4 is a side View looking from left to right in FIG. 3.

Referring -to the drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment `of the invention, FIG. l illustrates a pressurized fluid container 19 having a valve assembly 11 secured to the neck thereof in any conventional manner, for example, by a threaded connection as shown in PEG. 2. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, the valve assembly is actuated by a short, simple pull of the handle i2 which is connected to the valve assembly lll by la flexible cord or wire 13.

Within the valve housing 14 `are uid passages l5 and 16 which provide communication between the interior of the pressurized iluid container lil and the outlet port 17, the latter being shown as closed by a plug l which is employed only for protection `during shipping and is removed when the valve is suitably connected for use to an inflatable life raft or the like. Flow between the lmi Patented ct. l5, 1963 Fice passages 15 and 16 is controlled by an annular valve seat i9 and a poppet valve unit Ztl which includes a cup shaped metallic housing 2l, a sealing member 22 in the housing Z1, and a valve stern 23. ri'he stem 2,3 projects through the seat 19 and insures that the valve will, at all times, be properly yaligned with seat i9. The 4seal member Z2 is normally urged toward the valve seat 19" by a spring 25 positioned between the valve housing 21 and the gasket 26 which is retmned between the neck 27 of the container 1l land the bottom of the counterbore 23 in the housing i4 and has a plurality of holes 29' therein in 'order that the pressurized uid may readily ilow therethrough.

A pin 3i? forms a continuation of the valve stem 2.3 but is separate therefrom yfor convenience of manufacture and assembly. The pin 3i? reciprocates in the cylindrical bore 32 in the housing M', and the circumferential groove 33 around the pin 3? receives yan `O-ring seal 34 which prevents leakage between the pin 3h and bore 32. One end of pin 3% has `a `hat surface 35 which forms a substantially square edge 37 with the adjacent side walls of pin 3h.

The container Sill may be filled with the valve assembly in place thereon through the filler port indicated generally at dit. It will be noted that this operation can be conducted without unseating or otherwise interfering with poppet valve lunit Ztl. That is, the source of pressure fluid is connected to the ller port i and the uid allowed to flow through passageway il until the container l1 is filled. Upon the completion of the filling operation, the source of fluid is disconnected, and a stopper 4?; is tightly secured in position Iby the retainer 43 threaded into the boss 44. A gasket d5 is placed between the stopper 42 and the housing 14 to obviate any possible leakage.

An actuator lever 5@ for the valve unit 2li' is pivotally mounted in a slot 5l in the valve housing 14 by a pin 52. One end of lever Si? extends in overlying relation with the flat surface 35 of pin 3l) and has a ycain portion 53 and a notch `or `shoulder 54 extending transversely across the width thereof. Tue lever Sil' yis appropriately formed to rit closely against the housing l5 and around the filler port boss 44, as shown best in FIG. 4.

In operation, when it is desired to release the pressurized fluid within the container itl, the operator merely pulls the handle l2` thereby rotating the lever Sil and causing its carn portion 53 to effect `the downward movement of the pin 3l), 'as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, with consequent separation of the seal member 22 from its seat 19. Once the notch 54 in the cam 53 engages the edge 37, the pin 3l? is locked against upward movement. This, in turn,

locks the valve unit 2t? in the open position thereby per-V mitting the pressurized fluid in container il to ow `through passages l5 `and 16 through outlet port i7 to the equipment which is associated therewith, eg., a life raft. In this position of the parts, the spring 25 and the fluid pressure in the container continually exert an upward bias on the valve unit 2t? and the pin Sil thereby insuring continuous engagement of the notch 54 and edge 37.

It will accordingly be seen that the invention assures that the valve unit Ztl is locked in the open position and cannot be closed .by movement of lever Sti. The only manner in which the valve might possibly be again seated -is by the use of a separate tool which will force the pin 3l) downwardly and move the lever Sil back to its initial position, thereby permitting the spring 25 to reseat the valve unit Ztl. However, for all practical pur-poses, this valve is permanently locked in the open position.

:The valve `of the invention .thus requires only a quick jerk or pull to open and lock it in open position. Thereafter, the operator is then free to perform any other desired operation with his hands -with assurance that the proper operation of the gas container will continue. For example, should the valve assembly .be Iassociated with an emergency life raft the operator could merely jerk the handle to inflat the life raft and be free to utilize both hands to free himself of his gear or maintain himself 'above water until the raft is inated. It is obvious that Ithe relative simplicity of this device enhances its reliability through long periods of storage and inaction.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes -a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparaus, and :that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is deiined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly comprising a valve housing having a passageway therethrough, a valve seat positioned in said passageway, a valve member in said housing mounted for movement with respect to said valve seat between a closed position wherein `iluid flow through said passageway is blocked and an open position wherein vfluid will flow through said passageway, biasing means urging said valve member toward said closed position, a stem means associ- `ated with said valve member for moving said member between said opened and closed positions, said stem means having an end surface and -an adjacent side wall parallel to the axis of movement of said stem means, a pivot pin on s-aid housing disposed perpendicularly to said axis of said stem and spaced aidally and radially from said end surface when said valve member is in said open position, a lever mounted on said pivot pin for pivotal movement between inactive and active positions, a cam on one end of said lever operable to contact said end surface when said lever is rotated in a clockwise direction toward said active position for moving said valve member to said open position, and a notch in said cam having a lock surface parallel to and engaging said side wall of said stem means when said valve member is in said open position for preventing counterclockwise rotation `of said lever from said active to said inactive position -thus maintaining said valve member in said open position regardless ofthe forces applied to said lever.

2. A valve assembly comprising a valve housing having a passageway therethrough, a valve seat positioned in said passageway, a valve member in lsaid housing mounted for movement with respect to said valve seat between a closed position wherein iluid flow through said passageway -is blocked and an open position wherein fluid `will flow through said passageway, biasing means urging said valve member toward said closed position, a stem means associated with said valve member for moving said member between said opened and closed positions, said stem means having an end surface perpendicular to the axis of movement thereof and an adjacent side wall substantially parallel to said axis, a pivot pin on said housing perpendicular to said axis of said stem and spaced axially and radially from said end surface when said valve member is in said open position, a lever mounted on said pivot pin for angular movement between inactive and active positions, and a transverse notch on one end of said lever which separates said one end into a cam portion and a lock portion, said cam portion positioned between said pivot pin and said notch and engageable with said end surface when said lever is rotated in a rst ydirection for moving said valve member to said open position when said lever is moved to said active position, said notch having a loclr surface parallel to and engaging said side wall of said stem means when said valve member is in said open position for preventing rotation of said lever in a direction ropposite said rst direction from said active to said inactive position, said loclr portion engaging said end surface when said lever is in said active position for locking said valve member in said open position.

3. A valve assembly comprising a valve housing having a passageway therethrough, a valve seat positioned in said passageway, a valve member in said housing mounted for movement with respect to said valve seat between a closed position wherein fluid ilow through said passageway is blocked and an open position wherein iluid will flow through -said passageway, biasing means urging said valve member toward said closed position, a stem means associated with said valve member for moving said valve member between said opened and closed positions, said stem means having an end surface perpendicular to the axis 4of movement thereof and an adjacent side wall on one end -thereof substantially parallel to said axis, a pivot pin on said housing perpendicular to said -axis and spaced axially and radially from said end surface when said valve is in said open position, a lever mounted on said pivot pin for movement Ybetween inactive and active positions, a `cam portion on one end of said lever engageable with said end surface for moving said Valve member to said open position when said lever is pivoted in a rst direction to said active position, a lock portion on said one end for contacting said end surface when said lever is in said active position for holding said valve member in said open position, :and a shoulder on said one end between said cam and lock portions and substantially parallel to said side wall when said lever is in said active position for engagement with said side wall of said stem means when said valve member is in said open position Vfor preventing rotation of said lever in a direction oppostte said iirst direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES lATENTS 

1. A VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A VALVE HOUSING HAVING A PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH, A VALVE SEAT POSITIONED IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, A VALVE MEMBER IN SAID HOUSING MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID VALVE SEAT BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY IS BLOCKED AND AN OPEN POSITION WHEREIN FLUID WILL FLOW THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY, BIASING MEANS URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID CLOSED POSITION, A STEM MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VALVE MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID MEMBER BETWEEN SAID OPENED AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SAID STEM MEANS HAVING AN END SURFACE AND AN ADJACENT SIDE WALL PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID STEM MEANS, A PIVOT PIN ON SAID HOUSING DISPOSED PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID AXIS OF SAID STEM AND SPACED AXIALLY AND RADIALLY FROM SAID END SURFACE WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN SAID OPEN POSITION, A LEVER MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT PIN FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN INACTIVE AND ACTIVE POSITIONS, A CAM ON ONE END OF SAID LEVER OPERABLE TO CONTACT SAID END SURFACE WHEN SAID LEVER IS ROTATED IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION TOWARD SAID ACTIVE POSITION FOR MOVING SAID VALVE MEMBER TO SAID OPEN POSITION, AND A NOTCH IN SAID CAM HAVING A LOCK SURFACE PARALLEL TO AND ENGAGING SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID STEM MEANS WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN SAID OPEN POSITION FOR PREVENTING COUNTERCLOCKWISE ROTATION OF SAID LEVER FROM SAID ACTIVE TO SAID INACTIVE POSITION THUS MAINTIANING SAID VALVE MEMBER IN SAID OPEN POSITION REGARDLESS OF THE FORCES APPLIED TO SAID LEVER. 